1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus which includes an ink-jet head and which is transported with the ink-jet head accommodating ink or a storage solution therein.
2. Discussion of Related Art
As an image recording apparatus such as an ink-jet printer which includes an ink-jet head that performs recording by ejecting ink to a recording medium, there is known one equipped with a purge device for discharging air-bubbles, poor-quality ink and the like accumulated in the ink-jet head. For instance, an image recording apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2004-255861 includes a suction cap which is connected to a suction pump. The suction cap covers a nozzle opening surface of the ink-jet head and sucks ink from the nozzles at a predetermined timing during operation of the image recording apparatus, for thereby maintaining and restoring the ink ejection performance of the ink-jet head. Further, the image recording apparatus may be arranged such that a suction cap covers the nozzle opening surface while the ink-jet head is in a non-operating state, whereby the suction cap serves also as a drying-preventive cap for preventing drying of ink to be ejected through the nozzles.
The image recording apparatus may include only the drying-preventive cap which is not connected to the suction pump or may include the drying-preventive cap which is disposed together with the suction cap.
In general, the image recording apparatus equipped with the ink-jet head is packed with ink or a storage solution (which does not contain dyes, pigments and the like) stored in an inside of the ink-jet head upon shipment thereof from factories, for permitting smooth ink introduction when the apparatus is initially used by users. The image recording apparatus shipped from factories, however, may suffer from expansion of the air existing in the inside of the ink-jet head due to changes in the temperature or the atmospheric pressure in the environment during transportation of the apparatus (such as ground transportation, waterborne transportation, or air freighting). In this instance, the ink or the storage solution stored in the inside of the ink-jet head may leak out of the ink-jet head to an exterior.
In view of the above, the image recording apparatus is arranged such that the drying-preventive cap or the suction cap described above covers the nozzle opening surface of the ink-jet head during the transportation of the image recording apparatus, thereby preventing leakage of the ink or the storage solution accommodated in the ink-jet head and accordingly preventing contamination of the vicinity of the ink-jet head with the ink or the storage solution.